Rotary speed alarm



Nov. 29, 1938, o. STANKEY ROTARY S FEED ALARM Filed Sept. 22, 1937 3 1 m12 I 1 13 .5 7 l 6 H7511 6'1I I I I r a 1/? Very for v QscAez STANKIZYPatented Nov. 29, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFlCE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to alarms, and more particularly to speed alarmsfor rotating parts of mechanisms, such as motor vehicles and the like,and has among its objects the production of such a device that will beneat and simple in construction, easy to install, have a minimum numberof parts, movable or otherwise, be longlasting, economical, and beotherwise efiicient and satisfactory for use wherever deemed applicable.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to produce an alarm thatmay be attached to a motor vehicle of any construction, and set to givean audible alarm when the speed of the vehicle has reached apredetermined critical amount, the alarm continuing to sound during apredetermined speed range, say from between forty to forty-five milesper hour, and will cease to sound as soon as the speed of the vehiclehas passed in excess of said critical range.

Another object of my invention is to produce a speed alarm of the kinddescribed, which will automatically cut into operation as soon as thecritical speed has been attained, and which will cut out of operationautomatically as soon as said speed has been exceeded beyond a slightamount.

A further object of my invention is to so construct a speed alarm of thekind described, that it may be adjusted to compensate for various sizesof wheels, and which may be changed to operate at speed other than thatoriginally set.

Many other objects and advantages of the construction herein shown anddescribed will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which thisinvention appertains, as will be apparent from the disclosures hereingiven.

To this end, my invention consists in the novel arrangement,construction and combination of parts herein shown and described, andthe uses mentioned, as will be more clearly pointed out in the claimshereunto appended.

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters indicate like orcorresponding parts throughout the views,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device, with the cover plateremoved; and

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the device as mounted on the wheelhub.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein I have illustrated apreferred embodiment of my invention, A indicates any rotary driven partof a mechanism, as for example the hub of one of the wheels of a motorvehicle of any size, shape and construction.

To said wheel I mount the speed alarm, so constructed that it will soundthe alarm at a predetermined vehicle speed, say at forty miles per hour,and will continue to sound the alarm through a short speed range, say upto forty-five miles per hour, after which speed the alarm will notsound, the cutting in and out of the speed alarm being entirelyautomatic and controlled entirely by the moving vehicle itself.

The alarm may consist of a disk or plate element I, that is preferablyof a size to permit of being mounted on the hub cap 2 that is usuallydetachably mounted on the wheel A, so as not to interfere with the usualaccessibility to the hub bolts for holding the wheel on the axle.

Any desired fastening, such as the bolt 3, may be used for mounting thealarm on the hub cap, and one or more spacers or washers [3 maybeinterposed between the plate and the hub cap so that the full soundingeffect or resonance of the plate will not be interfered with.

A pair of sounding elements, l-5, are mounted in circumferentiallyspaced relation adjacent the outer periphery of the plate, these beingof any desired shape and construction, and preferably having a fullmetal-to-metal contact to the plate so as to enhance the soundingeffect. In the form shown these sounding elements are merely shortposts, although as will be hereinafter seen, they may be in the form ofcups or bells if louder or different tonal qualities are desired.

A clapper bar or striker bar 6 is arranged substantially transverselyacross the face of the plate or disk, one end of the same beingadjustably but firmly secured to a post I secured to the face of theplate, somewhat as shown.

At the outer or free end of the bar there is a striker or clapper 8 solocated as to be intermediate the pair of elements 45 and to strikeeither or both of them as the bar is vibrated.

An adjusting or control member operable to control the speed rangethrough which the alarm is active, is arranged intermediate the ends ofsaid bar, preferably closely to the secured end of the latter, thismember being either unitary with the post 'I or separately mounted onthe plate as at 9, where it is shown as being in the form of a U-shapedelement. A pair of set screws l0-ll may be adjustably mounted in thearms of the U-shaped element, so that either screw may be adjusted toengage the portion of the bar 6.

It will be noted that the bar is preferably fiattened toward the securedend, to enable the same to better perform its vibratory movement, itsthinnest edge being substantially set opposed to the face of the plateor disk.

To set the alarm to cut in at any predetermined speed, one of the setscrews, say the screw ill is loosened or backed away from the bar, andthe other screw H is moved against the 7 bar so as to yieldably force ittoward the other screw l0 and the clapper or striker engages against oneof the sounding elements 4. The more that the screw H is' pressingagainst the bar the more the clapper bears against the element 4, andthe more speed will be necessary to overcome this-pressure and permitthe vibration of the clapper and bar. The second screw H3 is simply tohold the bar in its adjusted position.

The alarm is mounted so as to rotate in the clockwise direction, and assoon as the predetermined speed,'or critical speed, of vehicle operationis attained, the clapper will vibrate, striking the elements l--5alternately and bringing to the attention of the operator of the vehiclethat the set speed has been attained, this alarm sounding for a slightexcess of speed, say over a five mile increased range, but when thespeed continues in excess beyond this range, the centrifugal force a ofthe rotating parts is suficient to hold the clapper bar and clapperagainst the normally disengaged post 5, and thus automatically cuts out?the alarm until the speed is again reduced to r the critical range.

Thus, although a speed alarm is mounted on the vehicle, it will operatein normal or city drivingand warn of maximum or other predeterminedspeed, but when travelling on country roads and: with faster driving,there will be nornecessity of nor annoyance with the alarm sound."

In order to make the device neat and relatively inconspicuous, if sodesired, a cover plate 12 may enclose the disk and its associated parts,said plate I2 being spaced far enough from the disk,

so as not to interfere with its sounding efiect. The cover 92 may bemounted on the bolt 3 extending through the same, and disk and securedto the hub cap, and one or more washers M may 'space the cover plate 52from the disk, somewhat as shown.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that variousimmaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing fromthe spirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood aslimiting myself to the exact form, arrangement, construction andcombination of parts herein shown and described, nor the uses mentioned,except as limited by the state of the art to which this inventionappertains, and the claims hereunto appended.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A motor vehicle speed signal, comprising a plate for mounting on thevehicle hub cap, a striker bar having a striker at its free end andfixed to said plate at its other end and being substantially fiat towardsaid fixed end, and con-' trol means adjacent the fixed end of said barand adjustably pressing the latter in one direction of rotation of theplate, and a pair of sounding elements spaced apart on said plate oneither side or" said free end of said striker bar and adapted to beoperably engaged by the latter at a predetermined speed range of thevehicle to permit vibration of the bar against said sounding elemeritsand'to be inoperative at speeds above and below said range. a 7

2. In a motor vehicle speed signal, a plate adapted to be mounted on ahub cap a striker b-ar extending transverselyacross said plate andhaving a striker at its free end and fixed at its other end to saidplate, a pair of sounding elements spaced apart on the plate on eitherside of said striking free end of the striker, and means for yieldablypressing said bar intermediate its ends to make said striker bearagainst one of said sounding elements, and whereby said striker willintermittently and alternately strike said sounding elements onlythrough apredetermined speed 7 range below the maximum speed of saidvehicle. 3. In a speed signal, a plate adapted to be mounted on arotationally driven member to rotate in unison therewith, a striker barextend-f ing transversely across said plate and fixed at one end theretoand having its other end free, a pair of sounding elements spaced aparton said plate to either side of said free end of the bar and alternatelyengageable by the latter to soundv said signal, and means for pressingsaid bar inter-' mediate its ends to make said striker barfree end bearagainst one of said sounding elements, whereby said bar willintermittently and alternately strike said sounding elements onlythrough a predetermined speed range below the maximum speed of saiddriven member.

OSCAR, STANKEY.

